bolte



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK II. BOLTE, OF MIIVAUKEE, AWISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T() THE BOLTE CYCLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

OF SAME PLACE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,928, dated April28, 1896.

Application filed April 8,1895. Serial No. 544,938. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK I-I. BOLTE, a citi- Zen of the United States,and ar resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofI/Visconsin, have invented certain newv and useful Improvements inVelocipedes 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to simplify and strengthen bicycles oranalogous vehicles, as well as to cheapen their manufacture, reduceweight, and lessen friction, the said invention consisting in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts hereinafter setforth with reference to the accompanyin g drawings, and subsequentlyclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure l represents my improvements as viewed in parton the plane indicated by line l lin Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a transversesectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig.v

1, and Fig. 3 a detail partly-sectional view illustrating the connectionbetween a pair of antifriction-cones and a spacing-sleeve on adriving-crank.

Referring by letter to theA drawings, A represents a tubular hanger forthe drivingucrank B of a bicycle or analogous vehicle, this crankhangerbeing provided with end recesses h of suitable width and depth. Flankingthe recesses are depending ears c for the engagement of bolts C, thathave clamping-nuts D run thereon. Both ends of the crank-hangers aretapped to engage screw-threaded bearingrings E F for antifriction-ballsG, that also bear on cones II, arranged on the drivingcrank.

The bearingring E clears the adjacent end of the crank-hanger and isprovided with recess CZ for the engagement of a suitable adjusting-tool.A cap I is loosely arranged on the driving-crank to be slipped onto thehanger so as to exclude dust from the latter. The other bearing-ring Fits snug on the hub of a sprocket-wheel or attaching-plate for the same,made fast to the driving-crank, and a flange e on the latterbearing-ring comes in opposition to the adjacent end of the crankhanger.

The shaft and arms of the driving-crank are made in one piece from asteel rod bent into shape, and the diameter of the rod is preferably thesame throughout, it beingldesirf able to avoid all forging or othertool-work having a tendency to disturb or change the molecules of thesteel and thereby weaken the crank.

A spacing-sleeve J is brazed or otherwise rigidly secured to the crankintermediate of the cones II, and this sleeve may be split, as hereinshown, to facilitate the placing of the same in position, or it may beotherwise than split and slipped onto said crank preliminary to thebending operation that takes place to form one or both arms of the same.

It will be understood that the cones II are positioned prior to thebending of one or both crank-arms, and I have shown the inner ends ofboth cones provided with vertical mortises f, that engage tenons g,projecting from the spacing-sleeve J; but it is practical to have themortises in the sleeve and the tenons on the cones. AThe sleeve isemployed because it is not desirable to do tool-work on the crank,

otherwisevarious means might be employed to insure the cones turningwith the crank.

The recesses b in the ends of the hanger permit the necessarymanipulation of the crank to place the same in said hanger or towithdraw it therefrom, and all of the parts being assembled theclamping-nuts D are run in on the bolts to cause a bind of said hangeron J[he bearing-rings E F, whereby the latter are held against turning.

' The antifriction adjustment is effected by manipulation of thebearing-ring E, the latter being positioned after balls G have beenseated, and it is to be observed that I am enabled to utilize unusuallylarge balls,whereby I have fewer points of contact, and consequentlyless friction.

The extremities L of the crank may be turned outward at a right angle tothe arms and screw-threaded to engage tapped socket ends c' ofpedal-pins K, as hereinshown.

It is intended that the crank-hanger shall be as dust-proof as possible,and therefore in practice any suitable means may be employed to closethat portion of each recess b not stopped by a bearing-ring.

Having thus described my invention, what IOO I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is- Y y l. The combination of a1 tubularhanger having end recesses of suitable area, a onepiece crank providedwith a rigid spacingsleeve, cones on the crank engaging thespacing-sleeve to turn therewith, bearing-rings contained in the hanger,and antifricti'onballs intermediatey of the' cones and bearingrings.

2. The combination of ka tubular hanger having end recesses of suitablearea, a onepiece crank provided with a rigid spacingsleeve having endtenons, cones on the crank provided with sleeve-tenons, bearing-ringscontained in the hanger, and antifriotion-balls intermediate of the,cones and bearing-rings.

3. The combination of a tubular hanger having en d recesses of suitablearea and ears flanking the recesses, a onen-piece crank provided with arigid spacing-sleeve, conesy on the crank engaging the spacing-sleeve toturn inortises engageab'le with therewith, bearing-rings screw-threadedin the hanger,l antiiriction-balls intermediate of jthie c ones andbearing-rings, bolts engaging the hanger-ears, and clamping-nuts run onthe bolts.

4. The combination of a one-piece crank provided with ball-bearingcones, a tubular j hanger for the crank provided withremovi ableball-bearing rings' and end recesses, the latter being of suchdimensions as will perl mit manipulation of said crank to put it in i orout of working position; and suitable x means for holding said rings intheir engagement with the hanger.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in thepresence of two witnesses.

F. H. BOLTE.

TWitnesses N, E. OLIPHANT,

HENRY DANKERT.

